MGA Advice please

[nvubu]

Hi.

My brother bought an MGA when he was 19 and at university. He drove it for a bit, then stripped it right down and started to rebuild it over a 2-3 year period. During this time he bought a couple of other MGAs as doner cars. He finally got it back on the road, MOT'd and taxed, and then 3-4 months later seemingly forgot about it as he got into scuba diving which took up all his time - and has done ever since.

This was in 1983, and the car has been sitting in my parents garage ever since - moving to Norfolk when they retired in the early 1990s. They built a double garage to specially to house it and my Lotus, so it has been protected from the elements.

I got my Lotus back on the road last December (I had been overseas for a good while), and have been trying to encourage my brother to do the same with his MGA, but he isn't really interested, and may sell it to the local garage for what seems like peanuts. He says thet he didn't do the bodywork correctly - braizing rather than welding (??) - and it hadn't been repainted in 1983, and was/is a hotchpotch of colours - green, red and grey.

I'm quite interested in buying it off him and then sending it to someone to restore it, but I'm not sure if it is worth it, or even where the best place to send it to would be. Not sure how much it is worth in it's present state - I'd guess £2-3K, but that's all it is, a guess.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

[awooga]

Too many variables to predict without seeing it. Does it run? Has any rust set in since it was re-built? How bad is the rust / interior? That's before you start looking at which model it is; I assume it's not a twin cam?

If the panels aren't too bad, a decent paint job isn't that expensive, especially if you do the bulk of the prep. A's aren't that common anymore and prices vary dramatically. Best place to look and gauge an idea is the MG owners club website classifieds.

Thinking about keeping it for yourself, or selling it on?

[nvubu]

awooga said:

Too many variables to predict without seeing it. Does it run? Has any rust set in since it was re-built? How bad is the rust / interior? That's before you start looking at which model it is; I assume it's not a twin cam?

If the panels aren't too bad, a decent paint job isn't that expensive, especially if you do the bulk of the prep. A's aren't that common anymore and prices vary dramatically. Best place to look and gauge an idea is the MG owners club website classifieds.

Thinking about keeping it for yourself, or selling it on?

Thanks for replying. I would doubt very much that it runs - it has been stationary for 30 years. Not sure in the rust - it has been garaged all the time. I'm going up to my parents the weekend after next, I'll try to get a look at it for rust, and the interior.

I am fairly sure it isn't a twin-cam, again I'll check with my brother when he is back from holiday. I won't be doing any prep, it will have to go somewhere to have whatever it is that needs doing.

I'm not really an MG person, but I would keep it for a while, and then probably sell it on.

[chormy]

The MGA will be worth 15-25k if done, your spend to have it done will be more. I'd contact Russel at MGMecca near snetterton and have a chat. He has a few A's in build right now.
Don't sell it for peanuts even a poor example is worth 5k

[midgeman]

Looking at them even US imports can start at 5-10k as projects and command 20K upwards prices in LHD format. I saw a few at about 7k one with front and rear end damage from a harsh life in the states, serious bodywork as that curved front panel is a grand alone for the whole thing as a replacement. It's well worth it for a reasonable price you'll probably get it cheaper off your brother than if you went out trying to buy one and it's better the devil you know as they say and you have known it for years/has family history so it'll mean more to you than see it done up to be sold off by someone else, you might find you come to like it.

[heebeegeetee]

Yep, cars of this type are in such demand now that even a log book and a vin plate would be worth more than £2-3k.

If you did get the car restored provided you maintained the condition it would never depreciate and in the current climate classic cars are doing very well indeed.

There is also a world of events that you can participate in a car such as an MGA, and the car would have a value literally all over the world.

[nvubu]

Here's how I found it - minus some boxes and a boat piled up on top.













I have more images if wanted.

Date of Liability 01 12 1983
Date of First Registration 01 06 1963
Year of Manufacture Not Available
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1489cc
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type PETROL
Export Marker N
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour GREEN
Vehicle Type Approval Not Available

Vehicle Excise Duty rate for vehicle
6 Months Rate £77.00
12 Months Rate £140.00

I thought it was zero rated? I also thought it was red with some green bits, but this shows that it it really green with some red bits.

Seems to be a fair amount of extra body panels - note the extra doors in the cabin - all over the place. There are at least three more engine blocks.

[woodytype S]

There is something wrong.The car is a Mk1 the DVLA information said first reg. June 1963 ? Never seen that speedo before.

[nvubu]

woodytype S said:

There is something wrong.The car is a Mk1 the DVLA information said first reg. June 1963 ? Never seen that speedo before.

There's more than one car in there, so I wonder if the number plate that is on it is from 1963, but the rest is earlier. I do seem to remember it being from the 1950s.

The speedo is probably a replacement from the 1980s - I doubt that it has only travelled 1000 miles.

[niva441]

1963 would be a very late MGA and should be a 1622cc. 1489cc are pre 1960.

[nta16]

first reg in 1963 could be that it's an import from elsewhere(?), it wont be down as historic if it hasn't been registered as such 1983 was long before such things were thought of

I'd spend £5 and use form V888 to find out what the DVLA have on record and/or contact the area of original registration if you're sure it is the original reg - all this could also help with its value along with if it was owned by the one-eyed inventor of the left handled mug or such nonsense as a 'hero' or 'celebrity' a*rse cheek touched the seat or their great aunt's uncle's grandson owned it for five minutes (as you can tell I'm not a fan of such stuff but it can add greatly to what some people are prepared to pay)

first thing to bin is those tyres, whether it'll truly depreciate depends on it's restoration costs plus the initial costs to get it actually running well (unless it's sold straight after restoration)

[nvubu]

nta16 said:

first reg in 1963 could be that it's an import from elsewhere(?), it wont be down as historic if it hasn't been registered as such 1983 was long before such things were thought of

I'd spend £5 and use form V888 to find out what the DVLA have on record and/or contact the area of original registration if you're sure it is the original reg - all this could also help with its value along with if it was owned by the one-eyed inventor of the left handled mug or such nonsense as a 'hero' or 'celebrity' a*rse cheek touched the seat or their great aunt's uncle's grandson owned it for five minutes (as you can tell I'm not a fan of such stuff but it can add greatly to what some people are prepared to pay)

first thing to bin is those tyres, whether it'll truly depreciate depends on it's restoration costs plus the initial costs to get it actually running well (unless it's sold straight after restoration)

I didn't realis you had to register it as historic, thought that it would automatically qualify! I guess that it I didn;t register it, I would pay the amount showing above.

I'll see if I can find out the other registrations that my brother had/has, and what log books he has. My guess is that he liked the reg that is on it now, so used this, rather than the "oldest" one. I'll also see if I can get some idea of the work he actually carried out. I'm fairly sure that the chassis went away for some work, same with one of the engines.

Here are some photos of the extra parts that I found - they seem to be all over the place.

Seats


Engine blocks


Bonnet & boot


Gearbox ?


Body panels






Couple of general shots








I must admit, there more I think about it, the more I want to get it back on the road. Wonder how much I should offer my brother for it and all the spares.

Any suggestions on where would be best to take it to get it restored?

[nta16]

nvubu said:

I didn't realis you had to register it as historic, thought that it would automatically qualify! I guess that it I didn;t register it, I would pay the amount showing above.

wasn't up to you but your brother but 30 years ago he wouldn't have been thinking of such stuff

nvubu said:

I'll see if I can find out the other registrations that my brother had/has, and what log books he has. My guess is that he liked the reg that is on it now, so used this, rather than the "oldest" one.

only the last registered (with the DVLA) registration will be dealt with by the DVLA but I'd add the others to additional information box as it could help them and you - just realised if your brother is the last registered keeper and you can't prove your ownership it'd need your brother to deal with V888 and DVLA

nvubu said:

I must admit, there more I think about it, the more I want to get it back on the road. Wonder how much I should offer my brother for it and all the spares.

Any suggestions on where would be best to take it to get it restored?

I think you need to get an expert on for the valuation and perhaps give you an idea the cost and time it might take to get this car back on the run and running right

it might be a job best left to commercial concern or enthusiast who can do a lot of the work themselves especially if you're think of a good cosmetic finish

[RichB]

It's an MGA 1500 i.e. the first series, you tell by the combined white front indicator/side lights, the MGA 1600 had white / amber units. The speedo & rev count are typical of early MGAs, they always had Jaeger instruments not Smiths. Given that the front bonnet shroud is red I would think the original colour was red because it's highly unlikely someone would have replaced the shroud whereas wings were commonly replaced because the rusted so quickly. Looks like a nice restoration project for someone. Oh and it's got a 'Goldseal' engine which was a genuine BMC replacement so might mean it's no longer 1500 cc but could be 1600, look on the front, lower passenger side of the block, there will be the capacity cast into the block. Good luck with it.

Edited by RichB on Tuesday 23 July 23:25